Machine for spacing watch-dials



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-'Sheet L F. B. PERKINS. MACHINE FOR SPAGING WATCH DIALS.

PatentedApr. 1s, 1886.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. F. B. PERKINS. MACHINE FOR SPAGING WATCH DIALS.

No. 339,922. Patented Apr. 13, 1886.

N. PETERS. Fhaxo-ullmgnpner. washingian. D.

mlm l (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

' P. B.v PERKINS.

MAGHINE FOR SPAGING WATGH DIALS.

\ No. 339,922. Patented Apr. 13, 1886.

,Illllllllnnltllllulll 4 sheets-sheet 4..

(No Model.)

It B. PERKINS. MAGHINE FOR SPAOING WATGII DIALS.v No. 339,922.

Patonted Apr. 13, 1886L ,55mm .a

Y chine as arranged for use.

NiTnD STATES PATENT Trier-i.

FRANCIS B. PERKINS, OF ELGIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELGIN NATIONAL VATCH COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR SPACING WATCH-DIALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 339,922, dated April 13, 1886.

Application {ile-d August 16, 1881. Serial No. 40,039. (No model T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it4 known that I, FRANCIS B. PERKINS, of Elgin, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dial-Spacing Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my ma- Fig. 2 is a plan view of the upper side of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of said machine. Fig. 4 is a vertical central section upon a line passing from front to rear. Fig. 5 is a view of the outer end of the rod used for manipulating the ruling-blades and of the adjustable head employed for holding said blades in position for use. Fig. 6 is a front elevation ofthe same. FiO'. 7 is a plan view of the letterspacing blades as arranged for use. Fig. 8 is a like view ofa dial partially spaced. Fig. 9 :is a plan view of the blades employed for spacing the upper and lower ends of the line of letters; and Fig. l0 is a side elevation of my machine, showing a modification in the arm used for carrying the centering-pin.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

The design of my invention is to enable the4 lines and letters of a watch-dial to be easily, quickly, and accurately made; to which end said invention consists, principally, as animprovement in dial-spacing machines, in a rotatable plate for receiving and sustaining a dial, provided with recesses for the reception of the feet of said dial, in combination with a centering pin adapted to center the dial and hold the same down upon the plate, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

It consists, further, in a dialspacing machine in which are combined a rotatable plate adapted to receive and sustain a dial, a centering-pin arranged to confine said dial upon said plate, and a spring-actuated pin arranged within the latter and adapted to engage with the seconds-arbor opening in said dial, substantially as and for. the purpose hereinafter set forth.

It consists, further, in a dial-spacing machine in which the locking-pin for engagement with the seconds-arbor opening is made radially adjustable with reference to the dial-supporting' plate, substantially as and for the` purpose hereinafter shown and described.

It consists, further, as an improvement in dial-spacing machines, in the combination of a rotatable plate for sustaining a dial, provided with recesses for the reception of the dialfeet, a centering-pin adapted to engage with the center opening of said dial and to hold the same down upon said plate, and a springactuated pin which is arranged to engage with the seconds-arbor opening of such dial, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

It consists, further, as an improvement in dial-spacing machines, in combining,with a centering-pm, trimminggravers adapted to be swung around and moved vertically upon the same, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown.

It consists, further, in combining with the centering-pin a head which is journaled thereon and provided with a number of gravers having different radial positions, and aspring that is adapted to press said head downward, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

It consists, further, as an improvement in dial-spacing machines,in a rotatable dial-supporting plate provided with means for securing a dial in relative position thereon, and having around its periphery a series of equidistant notches, in combination with a pawl which is adapted to engage with either ofsaid notches and to lock said plate in position, substantially as and Vfor the purpose hereinafter shown and described.

It consists, further, in co1nbining,with the rotatable dial-supporting plate provided with peripheral notches andan engaging-pand, a pivoted Atable which furnishes for said plate a pivotal support, and is in turn provided with peripheral notches andan engaging-pawl, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

It consists, further, in combining with the rotatable dial-si'ipporting plate fixed guides that are adapted to receive rods for carrying ruling-blades, and to permit the same to move longitudinally therein, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown.

It consists, further, as an improvement in dial-spacing machines, in a ruling-blade hav-- ing its scrapingy edge arranged longitudinally upon a line which is oblique to the line of motion, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

It consists, finally, as an improvement in dial-spacing machines, in ruling-blades arranged to simultaneously form the upper or the lower ends of a line of letters, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown and described.

In the annexed drawings, A represents the base of my machine, which may, if desired, consist of the'topof a bench or table. From said base a cylindrical pin, B, projects upward a short distance, and upon the same is pivoted a circular disk or table, C, that has preferably about twice the diameter of the dials to be operated upon.' Said table is pro vided around its periphery with a series of equidistant notches or teeth, c, with which a springoperated pawl, D, is caused to engage, for the purpose ot' locking said table in place.

The table C is preferably provided with sixty peripheral notches, corresponding in number to the minute-marks of a dial, but may have such additional number as to correspond to any desired fractional parts of a minute. The pawl D is preferably arranged to move longitudinally upon a radial line, its inner end engaging with the periphery of said table. In order that said table may be easily turned, an annular ring, o', is securedto the upper face of and projects over the edge of the same in convenient position to be grasped by the hand of the operator.

Pivoted centrally upon the upper side ot' table C is a circular plate, E, which has a smaller' diameter, and is provided around its edge with notches e, that preferably number two rhundred and forty or three hundred, and are engaged by a spring-pawl, F, lwhich enables said plate to belockeol in position. The plateE is designed to furnish a support for a watchdial, G, and is provided with a number of recesses, e', into which the feet g of said dial may be placed. A round pin, et, havinga conical upper end, is arranged vertically within a corresponding recess in said plate, in position to cause its point to correspond to the seconds-arbor opening g of said dial, and is held in such engagement by the upward pressure of a spring placed beneath.

In order that the machine may be adapted for use with dials having different diameters, and in which the seconds-arbor openings are located at different distances from the center, said pin eIZ is made radially adjustable within said plate.

Secured to the base A, and extending upward and inward over-the plate E, is an arm, H, which at a point directlyover the axis of said plate is provided with an opening, 7L, through which passes a round mandrel, I, that is adapted to be moved yvertically through said opening, so as yto cause its lower pointed end, i, to engage with the central opening, g, of a dial, G, and not only hold said dial down upon said plate E, but also cause the same to maiutain a central position thereon; p

J ournaled upon the mandrel I, below the arm H, is a three-armed spider, K, which is adapted to move vertically thereon, and is held downward with a yielding pressure by means Y of a spring, i3, that is placed between the upper side of said spider and the lower side of said arm. Said spider-arms t" are each provided with a round pin, it, constructed pref` erably from wood,which is closely fitted within a vertical opening in said arm, has its lower end pointed and projects downward to an equal distance with the other pins, so as t0 bear upon the face of the dial G. Said arms' may have different lengths, or may have such a number of openings for the reception of a. pin, t, as to enable the latter to be placed at a greater or less distance from the axial cen- 9g ter of said spider.

The office of the pointed pins z" is to define the inner and outer edges ofthe spacing-linesv` and the top and bottom lines of the ordinals, for which purpose the portion of said 9v dial which is to contain said lines and ordinals is covered with fusible pigment inA a. liquid state, and when the same has dried said dial is placed in position upon the plate E and caused to rotate beneath said pins, each of which latter removes said pigment upon a circular line. n

Each spacingline is formed by means of a ruling-blade,L,which is providedwithinitsend with a notch, l, that corresponds to the width of the proposed mark. If said bladeis moved across the pigment-coated band upon therdial, it will remove said pigment upon each side of said notch Z,while the latter will leave the desired line of pigment adhering to said dial.

In order that the ruling-blade may be easily manipulated and may be moved upon accurately-radial lines, it is secured radially within f a cylindrical head, M,which is provided with a reduced rear end, m, that fits into a corresponding axial opening in the end ofa round rod, N, and is secured therein by means of two set-screws, n and n, which pass radially inward through said rod, and at their inner ends'engage with correspondingly-shaped recesses, m', in said reduced part M.

The rod N when in use is placed within the forked upper end, o, of a U-shaped bar, 0, which is secured to the base A in such position as to bring said forked ends in a. line with the axis ofthe plate E. The depth of the notch which forms the outer fork is such as to cause the outer end of said rod to beheld at the desired height, while thenotch forming the inner fork has such depth as to prevent said rod from resting upon its bottom, and to cause the bearingfor theinner end of said rod to be the end of the ruling-blade L. Two washers, a and n', are placed upon the rod N in such position that one will impinge against the inner face of the outer forked arm when said rod has reached the desired outer limit of its motion, and the other washer will impinge against the outer face of the inner arm when the inner limit of motion has been reached.

In practice the rod N with the ruling-blade L is moved inward, and then back to its normal position, and the dial G then rotated the desired distance and said operation repeated, such movements being continued until all of the pigment within the limits operated upon is removed, except such as forms the spacelines. XVhere lettering is to be formed across the face of the dial, a straight band of pigment is placed in the desired position,and the top and bottom lines of the desired letters are formed in the following manner, viz:

Secured to or within a head, M, are two blades, I) and I, which correspond in length to the length of the proposed line of letters, and are each provided with notches that correspond in number, position, and length to the upper or lower ends of said letters, Said head M is secured upon a rod, N that when in use is placed within the forked ends, 0, of a bar, O, arranged so that each blade may be moved at a right angle to the line of' lettering, and has its longitudinal movement so limited that the blade for operating upon the upper portion of the lettersshall not move far enough downward to encroach upon the lower ends of said letters, nor shall the second blade travel over the space occupied by the upper ends of the same.

The operation of the ruling-blades Pis to block out vertically the tops and bottoms of theletters, as shown in Fig. 9, after which another ruling blade, Q, provided with two notches, q, is caused to travel lengthwise of said letters and accuratelytrim the horizontal lines which constitute the upper and lower ends of the same. The said letters thus blocked out are afterward completed by hand,- as indicated by the dotted lines of said Fig. 9. Said ruling-blades I) are placed within opposite sides of the head M, and the latter with its rod turned so as to bring either into position for use. Itis found that where such can be done a material benefit is derived from arranging the ruling-blades in a line oblique to their movement, in which event the notches within the edges of said blades require to be increased in width in order that the desired width of line may be preserved.

In Fig. l0 is shown a modified form of' the arm for carrying the centering-pin. In this modification the arm is shown as consisting of the horizontal plate or bar R, attached to and supported at its rear end by a strong leafspring, R', attached at its lower and outer end to the table, as shown, and extending from such attaching-point up and forward. "With this form of arm the spider K is placed upon the top of plate or bar R, with its pins i2 it i2 extending down below the bar. The center-pin I passes down through spider K and bar R,

and at its lower end is formed precisely like the centering pin already described. .The spring is surrounds the pin above the spider, and between it'and the head of' the pin, so that it presses the spider downward, as does the spring in the form already described and for the same purpose.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention,whatI claim as new is- 1. As an improvement in dial-spacing machines, a rotatable plate for receiving and sustaining a dial, provided with recesses for the reception of the-feet of said dial, in combination with a centering-pin adapted to center the dial and hold the same down upon the plate, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A dial-spacing machine in which are combined a rotatable plate adapted to receive and sustain a dial, a centering pin arranged to confine said dial upon said plate,and a springactuated pin arranged within the latter and adapted to engage with the seconds-arbor opening in said dial, substantiallylas and,;for the purpose set forth.

3. A dial-spacing machine in which thclocking-pin for engagement with the seconds-arbor opening is made radially adjustable with reference to the dial-supporting plate, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

4. As an improvement in dial-spacing machines, the combination of a rotatable plate for sustaining a dial, provided with recesses for the reception of the dial-feet, a centering-pin adapted to engage with the center opening of said dial and to hold the same down upon said plate, and a spring-actuated pin which is arranged to engage with'the seconds-arbor opening of' such dial, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. As an improvement in dial-spacing inachines, in combination with a centering-pin, trimming-gravers adapted to be swung around and moved vertically upon the same, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

6. In combination with the centering-pin, a head which is journaled thereon and provided with a number of gravers having different radial positions, and a spring that is adapted to press said head downward, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. As an improvement in dial-spacing inachines, a rotatable dial-supporting plate provided with means, substantially as described, for securing a dial in relative position thereon, and having around its periphery a series of equidistant notches, in combination with a pawl which is adapted to engage with either of' said notches and to lock said plate in position, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

8. In combination with the rotatable dialsupporting plate provided with peripheral notches and an engaging-pawl, a pivoted table which furnishes for said plate a pivotal support, and is in turn provided with peripheral lnotches and an engaging-pawl, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

IOO

IIO

11. As an improvement in dial-spacing mn.- ehines, ruling-blades arranged to simultaneously form the upper or the lower ends of a. line of letters, substantially as Aand for the r purpose shown and described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand this 6th day of July, A. D. 1881. l

f FRANCIS B. PERKINS.

9. In'eombinatiou With the rotatable dialsupporting plate, fixed guides that are adapted to receive rods for carrying ruling-blades and to permit the same to move longitudinally therein, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

I0. As an improvement in dial-spacing machines, a ruling-blade having its serapi ng-edge arranged longitudinally upon a line which is oblique to the line of motion, substantial] y as and for the purpose set forth.

Wltnesses:

JAs. R. LANE, VINCENT S. LOVELL. Y 

